I left feeling like I had to bring my children to see this play. I know there are moments that they would relate to and I am anticipating some eye opening conversations with them. Pipeline is an absolute must see and I highly recommend it, especially for parents, educators and students.

Pipeline runs through March 3, 2019 and tickets start at just $20.00.

Special thanks to Victory Gardens Theatre and Black Bloggers Chicago for the opportunity to cover such an outstanding event.

Black history month is a time when we reflect on our community, culture and our future and the birthday celebration to Langston Hughes was the perfect kickoff to a month dedicated to celebrating our roots and our community.

Black Women's Expo Chicago (BWe Chicago) is the nation’s foremost exposition targeting the African American consumer market where she finds the latest trends, amazing new products and merchandise, gets informed, empowered and enlightened. This 3 days event was organized by MGPG Events and held at McCormick Place Convention Center. BWe Chicago 2018 showcased a wide range of products and services catering to black women. Products ranged from apparel and fashion accessories, health and wellness, cuisine and entertainment, medical services, home decor, nutrition, skin care products, beauty and fragrance, dating services, fitness and equipment, fashion and lifestyle, hand crafted arts, personal products, spa, and fitness. The theme of this year’s expo was #SheMatters. According to their website, “Strong, Savvy and Significant…The African American woman is all that and more”. The expo featured seminars, workshops, celebrities, a teen summit, vendor’s marketplace and musical guests. I was fortunate to attend this expo this weekend.

From the moment I heard the news that this movie was being made, I was hyped! My anticipation grew when Ryan Coogler was announced as director. I was a huge fan of his work on Fruitville Station and Creed. Once the casting announcements started coming out and I saw one superstar after another, I just knew this was going to be an epic movie! I couldn’t wait! To be honest, I’m not a huge comic movie fan but I do have kids who are so I see Marvel films all of the time. However this film was more than a superhero movie for me. It was a moment to experience a black superhero on the big screen. The sheer magnitude of a movie with a black director, writer and primarily all black cast set in Africa was something I’ve never seen before. I knew this was going to be a special moment and I was right. I had no idea how special it would be until right now.

Now I won’t get into any spoilers but I will touch on my absolute favorite aspect of the film….…THE AMAZING BLACK WOMEN! Whew….the amount of #BlackGirlMagic in this film is epic and the characters these women play are equally as badass!

You never need a reason or holiday to show the ones you love how much you care but any holiday that celebrates love, I’ll happily participate in. Many hate Valentine’s Day because they believe it’s commercial. While that may be the case, I am a firm believer in that holiday’s like this are opportunities to show someone you care in an extra special way and who doesn't like feeling "extra special" sometimes? Here are a few of my favorite Valentine’s Day things that are thoughtful, romantic, and sentimental.

No matter what size your budget is, there's something you can do for that special someone in your life.

Living in Chicago, winter can really do a job to your hair and skin. Negative wind chills, heavy winds, and below zero temperatures can leave your hair and skin dry, flaky, itchy and dull. There are a few things I use to keep my hair healthy, shiny, and moisturized and my skin glowing even if I’m hiding it behind scarves, hats, and coats.

For centuries, it has been believed that the fastest track to healing is through the walls of a spiritually-aligned woman’s vagina. But what happens when a woman’s greatest healing asset needs its own healing? For far too long, women have bore the brunt of healing the world, but never taking the time (or having it, for that matter) to heal themselves. Not every woman has access to clinical mental health care, and certain traumas make some women mistrustful of revealing their traumas beyond their own hearts. All these barriers bare one question among the masses of broken women in need of wholeness: how can I heal MYSELF???

The New Year is the perfect time to start over with a new sense of purpose and commitment. We all have goals and things we would like to achieve every year. Why not give a gift that helps someone you love start the New Year off on the right track! Here are a few of my favorite things to help jump start your goals!

As we get closer and closer to Christmas and the holiday season, my household is buzzing with activity. The kids are eagerly awaiting Christmas Break, I’m running around to holiday parties around the city, shopping and buying last minute gift items for friends and family. In the midst of all of this activity, there are few things I do with my family for fun and enjoyment as we get closer to Christmas Morning!

Self-Care is the buzz word lately and it’s something I speak quite frequently on this website. Women, Black Women in particular are queens of multi-tasking; taking care of so many people, handling business, juggling careers, mothering children, etc. We rarely take time to take care of ourselves; it seems there are never enough hours in the day. Many women who handle and juggle so many things also rarely do things for themselves to recharge and refresh. Why not gift the woman in your life that rarely takes time for herself something that allows her to focus on herself? These are a few ideas with some of my favorite things for the woman who needs a little TLC every now and then!

As a child, the Christmas season was a magical for me. My parents always had us doing something that was centered on family and traditions. From going downtown to see Santa at Marshall Fields (now Macy’s) and walking on state street to see the Christmas Windows, buying roasted chestnuts and hot cocoa or making Christmas cookies on Christmas eve, my childhood is full of treasured memories. Now that I have a family of my own, I’ve passed down those same traditions and added a few of my own. These are a few of my family’s favorite holiday traditions.

It’s the Holiday season and the time of year when we are all searching for the perfect gifts for our loved ones. In the spirit of “Oprah”, over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing a few of my favorite things that would make great gifts for your favorite people! Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite things for the naturalista in your life! Naturalista’s are women who take pride in wearing their natural hair. We are women who are obsessed with making sure our hair is healthy and looking good at all times. If you know someone who is a self-proclaimed, naturalista, chances are she will love some of these products under her tree!

I love the holiday season so much. *Cue Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas”*It is full of the things I love the most; family, friends, good cheer and traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. Over the holiday season, I’ll be sharing a few of my treasured memories from my own family. Today on the blog, I’m sharing my family’s tree trimming traditions.

In continuing with this months’ series on practicing gratitude, one of the best ways to do that is by keeping a gratitude journal. In theory, a gratitude journal is a diary used to focus attention on the positive things in their lives.

It was a fantastic evening full of good food, great wine, awesome friends and beautiful memories. It is one of my favorite Summertime Chicago events! Over 3,000 beautiful people dressed in all white with all white tablescapes is just a beautiful and elegant sight to see!

Music has always been a calming force in my life. No other medium other than writing brings me a sense of calm. When my spirit is down or when I need to de-stress and decompress, I play music. When I’m angry and upset, I play music. When I have a broken heart, I play music. When the world doesn’t make sense, I play music. Music and writing are my therapists. Music speaks the words I cannot say, and writing allows me to pour out the songs I cannot sing.

Summertime usually means spending more time outdoors. Whether at the beach, a music festival, movies in the park or a romantic date out, packing a picnic requires certain essentials. I love picnics and have different décor depending on the event but these are a few of my essentials. Start here and build your outdoor picnic kit from there!

Despite what the national news says, Chicago is a beautiful city, especially during Summer. One of my favorite things about Chicago during the summer is the free music that you can hear. Music played under the stars with a beautiful Chicago skyline, and the lakefront view is a perfect way to spend a summer night. Chicago has something for every musical taste. From Blues, Jazz, Classical, Folk, Rock, and Dance the music reflects the diversity of this city. The best part is that it doesn’t cost you a thing! It’s an affordable night out for the entire family!

Dry Brushing is the process of brushing the skin with a natural brush to stimulate lymph flow, improve circulation, exfoliate, get rid of dead skin and prevent cellulite. As a self-proclaimed “skin freak,” I’m completely obsessed with having clear and healthy skin. Now that I’m older, I’ve become more concerned with preserving a certain youthfulness and healthy glow. Dry Brushing helps to keep your skin clear, your melanin poppin and your “glow” on point!